Union Arcade restoration will bring more business to downtown Davenport

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Union Arcade demolition begins 3-10-14 (WQAD Photo)

Union Arcade restoration will bring more business to downtown Davenport

Union Arcade demolition begins 3-10-14 (WQAD Photo)

The historic Union Arcade building in downtown Davenport is being restored back to its original grandeur.

Mayor Bill Gluba was joined by representatives from Financial District Properties with gold-plated sledgehammers for a ceremonial wall breaking Monday, March 10, 2014.

Organizers are converting the top seven floors of the Union Arcade into 68 market rate apartments. In addition to the apartments, the building’s historic corridors and elevators will be rehabilitated and new electrical systems will be installed.

The new owner of the Union Arcade building, Rodney Blackwell, is hoping the renovations will bring new business into downtown Davenport.

“Now that we have people living downtown, people will just walk out their door, do some retail, food, shopping…this whole community is picking up because more people are living down here,” said Blackwell.

The $13 billion dollar project will be the first renovation to the Union Arcade since it was built in 1924. All of the work will be funded by Financial District Properties and is due to wrap up by January 2015.